With the arrival of summer, the temperature keeps rising, and the risk of food spoilage also increases. Among the many culprits of foodborne diseases, there is a bacterium that has attracted much attention due to its tenacious vitality and hidden mode of transmission - Bacillus cereus. It can withstand high temperature cooking and rapidly reproduce at room temperature. Due to its main decomposition of sugars, even if the food has been contaminated, there will be no obvious spoilage. Except for occasional stickiness, there is no abnormal odor, and the sensory perception is basically normal, which is not easy to be detected by people, leading to ingestion and foodborne diseases. According to statistics from the National Health Commission, there are tens of thousands of cases of foodborne diseases caused by Bacillus cereus in China every year, and most of them occur in collective feeding scenarios such as school canteens and catering enterprises. This article will reveal its true face and teach you how to prevent it.
1、 High temperature resistant "survival expert"
Bacillus cereus is a Gram positive bacterium widely present in soil, dust, and water, with extremely strong survival ability.
1. High temperature resistance: The spores formed can survive for more than 1 hour in boiling water at 100 ℃, which may not be completely killed by ordinary cooking.
2. Rapid reproduction: At room temperature (20~37 ℃), the amount of uncooled rice, Congee and other starchy foods can surge to millions of CFU/g within a few hours.
3. Wide distribution: Commonly found in grains, dairy products, meat, vegetables, and other foods, especially in starchy foods such as rice, noodles, and beans as "breeding grounds".
2、 Two types of toxins, two symptoms of poisoning
The pathogenicity of Bacillus cereus is due to the two toxins it produces:
1. Vomiting toxin: heat-resistant (unable to be destroyed even by heating), mainly acting on the nervous system. Severe vomiting and abdominal pain occur within 1-6 hours after eating, usually without diarrhea, similar to "food poisoning vomiting". The food with high incidence is mainly starchy food such as rice, Fried Rice, mashed potato, etc., which leads to toxin accumulation due to the long time after cooking.
2. Diarrhea toxin: produced by live bacteria in the intestine, with strong toxicity but short duration. Water like diarrhea and intestinal spasms similar to dysentery occur 6-24 hours after eating. High incidence foods mainly include meat, dairy products, vegetable salads, and other foods with high protein or moisture content.
3、 Why are you always tempted by 'safe' food?
The cunning of Bacillus cereus lies in its multiple transmission pathways:
1. Pollution during processing: for example, if rice is not cooled in time after cooking, the spores will germinate and reproduce during the slow cooling process.
2. Improper storage: When food is stored at room temperature for more than 2 hours, live bacteria rapidly proliferate and produce toxins.
3. Cross contamination: The sharing of knives and cutting boards between raw and cooked foods, or inadequate hand hygiene by chefs, can lead to transmission.
4、 Scientific Prevention and Control: Defense Guidelines from Kitchen to Table
1. "Three Key Points" in Food Processing
- Temperature Control: Cooked food should be stored at room temperature for no more than 2 hours and should be immediately refrigerated (<4 ℃) or frozen (<-18 ℃) if it needs to be stored for a long time.
- Timely cooling: Divide large portions of food into shallow dishes to accelerate cooling; Or use an ice bath to assist with cooling.
- Thoroughly heated: Heat to a center temperature of ≥ 75 ℃ before consuming again, but note that high temperatures cannot destroy vomitoxin.
2. Special protection for high-risk foods
- Rice/pasta: Consume immediately after steaming or refrigerating, avoid overnight storage.
- Cold dishes: Thoroughly clean the ingredients before preparation and avoid cross cooking during the processing.
- Dairy products: After opening, they need to be sealed and refrigerated, and consumed within 24 hours.
3. Daily hygiene habits
- Regularly disinfect kitchen utensils (can be wiped with chlorine containing disinfectants).
Wash hands properly before and after handling food to avoid hand contamination.
When dining out, be cautious when choosing ready to eat foods such as cold dishes and salads.
5、 How to deal with poisoning?
If there are suspected symptoms, the following measures should be taken immediately:
1. Stop eating suspicious food, save the sample for testing.
2. Supplement water to prevent dehydration (oral rehydration salts are best).
3. If severe vomiting or diarrhea persists for more than 24 hours, or if symptoms such as bloody stools or high fever occur, seek medical attention immediately.
4. Attention: Vomiting poisoning patients should temporarily fast for 4-6 hours, and then gradually return to a light diet.
Finally, although Bacillus cereus is highly toxic, it can be effectively prevented and controlled through scientific food storage, processing, and hygiene management. Consumers need to remember that "safe temperature" and "timely handling" are the key to defeating such bacteria. Especially during the hot summer season, be more vigilant and less risky, so that every bite on the dining table can be taken with peace of mind. Food safety is no small matter, starting from the details can protect health!